CAST

Ken Allan (Dr. Spivey) is very happy to be making his first appearance at Blank Canvas Theatre. He has performed in many area shows and was a member of the Cleveland Opera. He studied acting in New York City and voice at The Cleveland Music School Settlement. He was last seen in Clague Playhouse’s production of Tainted Justice.

Brittany Gaul (Nurse Flinn/Stage Manager) is excited to be back at Blank Canvas Theatre. Recent acting credits include Love in Pieces (Ophelia) and Psycho Beach Party (Berdine). Offstage, Brittany is a teaching artist for Talespinner Children's Theatre (TCT), Beck Center, Ohio City Theatre Project and more. Recent stage management credits include Frankie and Johnny (BCT), Adventures in Slumberland (TCT) and TheEmperor's Ears (TCT). This September, Brittany will be on stage at TCT in Loki and Lucy. She would like to thank Patrick for this incredible opportunity and her family for their continual support. Much love to CH.

Perren Hedderson (Billy Bibbit) is humbled to be part of this production. He was most recently seen in Blank Canvas Theatre's Twelve Angry Men. Perren has done mostly musicals in his acting career, and is always looking for a chance to “just say some words, and do some stuff.” Film credits include Hero Tomorrow (David), Horror In The Wind (Richard), and a bunch of stuff in which he has no lines or face! Recent onstage work includes The Texas Chainsaw Musical! (Eddy) and Hairspray (Wilbur). Perren works full-time as ATD and Video Effects Producer for Near West Theatre. Recently, he became one of the newest members of the Cleveland-based sketch comedy group The Laughter League. Much love to Momma Carole and Big B, whose effort he strives to emulate.

Michael N. Herzog (Martini)is proud to make his return to scripted theater -- after a “brief” ten-year hiatus -- with Blank Canvas Theatre. A graduate of Second City’s Conservatory Program, he’s a third-generation cast member of Something Dada Improvisational Theater Company, directs and produces the Cleveland branch of the Murder Mystery Players, and performs regularly in private and public live events throughout Northeast Ohio. Mike has appeared in numerous roles in film, TV and radio, including Bet Your Life, The Rudy Connely Project and various commercials. His favorite theatrical experiences include Reefer Madness: The Musical (Ralph), Tony ‘n' Tina's Wedding (Joey), Borstal Boy (Cragg) and Troilus and Cressida (Patroclus).

Peter Jolicoeur (Aide Warren) is honored to make his Blank Canvas Theatre debut. He would like to thank Patrick for the opportunity and the fantastic cast & crew for a truly eye-opening experience. Thanks to Kristen for all of her love & support...she da best.

Matthew Lenczewski (Ruckly)is very excited to be playing Ruckly in this production. His credits include The Glass Menagerie (Tom Wingfield) and The Catch (Gary Zipnik) at Cuyahoga Community College. He was an extra in Marvel’s The Avengers, filmed in his hometown of Cleveland, OH. He sends extra-super-special thanks to the cast and crew of this production, and all of his love and appreciation to his mom and dad, Sara, Holly, Joe and all his friends and family whom without he couldn’t exist. He says seriously, thank you, thank you all very much. If the Sun refused to shine I would still be loving you. One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is one of his all-time favorite movies, books, and plays, so, it is an amazing, awesome-sauce honor to be a part of this show. Last, but not least, thank you to David Gilmour for his mind-bending cool guitar solos in Pink Floyd’s music.

Len Lieber (Scanlon)feels privileged to perform with such talented actors and staff in this American classic. He returns to the Blank Canvas Theatre stage after recently appearing here in Bathroom Humor (Old Man). Trained at the Pasadena Playhouse, Len began his theatrical career in 1957 and continued with more recent roles in Of Mice and Men (Candy), The Cemetery Club (Sam) and Our Town (playing George at 16 when turning 67). Now retired from a career as a clinician and executive in the mental health and child abuse field, Len is active as a senior athlete, is happily spending more time with friends and family, and is writing once again (the latest work to be published later this year). And good night, Ellen Jo, wherever you are.

Daniel McElhaney (Randle P. McMurphy)is extremely thankful for the opportunity to appear on the Blank Canvas Theatre stage for the first time, and to be doing so in a role that he has always dreamed of playing. Recently, he was seen in Dobama Theatre's production of The Walworth Farce (Blake). He has also performed at Charenton Theater, The Bang and The Clatter, Cleveland Public Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, Willoughby Fine Arts, Clague Playhouse, Weathervane Playhouse, Solon Center for the Arts, Kent State University, Cleveland State University, Mapleleaf Theater, Royalton Players, River Street Playhouse, Brecksville Theater, and Dover Players. Some past work includes roles in The God of Hell (Welch), Orange Flower Water (Brad), True West (Lee), American Buffalo (Bobby), The Drawer Boy (Miles), Suburbia (Buff), and The Pillowman (Michal). Daniel's performance is dedicated to Tanner, Toby, and Tenley. "You can't be around a comfortable person. Nothing bounces off them." - Miles Davis

Anne McEvoy (Nurse Ratched) Anne was last seen here in Next Fall (Arlene), and is eager for another chance work at Blank Canvas Theatre with Patrick and this talented cast. Most recently she appeared in Cleveland Public Theatre’s world premiere of Ancestra (multiple roles) and in Deena Nyer Mendlowitz’s Funnel Cakes Not Included (Deena), which takes a look at the playwright’s personal struggle with mental illness and sheds a more hopeful light on electro-convulsive therapy than Kesey was able to do in 1964 when he penned Cuckoo’s Nest. Earlier this season, Anne was seen in Dobama’s TheBig Meal (Woman #1) and has also worked at Actors’ Summit, Beck Center, Cleveland Play House, Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, Great Lakes Theatre, Karamu, the NaCl Theatre, NY, and Ohio Shakespeare Festival. Following this production, Anne will finish up her final draft of Clara and the Nutcracker for Talespinner Children’s Theatre upcoming holiday production.

Dave Moody (Aide Turkle) is excited to be making his Blank Canvas Theatre debut and to be working once again with Patrick Ciamacco. His stage credits include Weathervane Playhouse’s The Full Monty (Horse), Chagrin Valley Little Theatre’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (Aide Warren), Far Away at The Cleveland Play House, and Streamers (Roger) and Dutchman (Clay), both at University of Cincinnati. He also served as Drama Advisor/ Director for Harvey High School’s The Miracle Worker and To Kill a Mockingbird. Film/TV credits include Draft Day, Big Foot (Bob Gray Productions), AT&T, Cleveland Indians and Major League Baseball Productions, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., 2003 McDonald’s ESPN All American Power Ade Jam Fest, and the Marathon Oil Co. Dave is an Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Communication Studies at the State University of New York at Oswego. He received his Ph.D. in American Culture Studies from Bowling Green State University and is the author of the book Political Melodies in the Pews?: The Voice of the Black Christian Rapper in the Twenty-first-Century Church published by Lexington Books (a subsidiary of Rowman and Littlefield). He would like to thank his parents and his high school choir director/vocal coach, the late Bob Allshouse.

Aaron Patterson (Chief Bromden)is excited to make his Blank Canvas Theatredebut. He is currently a cast member and producer of Something Dada Improvisational Theater Company and performs in Flanagan's Wake (Brian Ballybunion/Mother). Go Tribe!

John J. Polk (Dale Harding) is pleased to be joining this great company for his third appearance on the Blank Canvas Theatre stage…and the first in which his character actually has a name. He’s previously performed here in Of Mice And Men (The Boss) and in Twelve Angry Men (Juror #12). His performances elsewhere have included a tasteful assortment of authority figures, blowhards, villains and foils in shows such as Urinetown: The Musical (Senator Fipp), Legally Blonde: The Musical (Elle’s Dad), A Raisin In The Sun (Karl Lindner), You Can’t Take It With You (Mr. Kirby) and The Crucible (Danforth) at Beck Center, and Fever/Dream (Fred Clotaldo) and Andrew Jackson Ate My Homework (Andrew Jackson) at Cleveland Public Theatre.

Chris Ross (Cheswick) is excited to make his return to the stage with Blank Canvas Theatre after graduating many eons ago with his drama degree from Cleveland State University. In recent years, he returned to acting in front of a camera, working on many local short films and winning Best Actor awards at the 48 Hour Film Project in both Cleveland and Cincinnati. Chris would to thank his family and friends for their continued support for his creative endeavors.

Joe Virgo (Aide Williams) is thrilled to be making his Blank Canvas Theatre debut with the fantastic cast of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. He is a current theatre student at Cleveland State University and was recently seen in their production of Lysistrata. Other credits include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Leaf Coneybear), The Laramie Project (Matt Galloway), and Mercury Summer Stock's production of Peter Pan (Cookson). Joe would like to thank Patrick and the cast for an enriching theatrical experience, and his parents, sister Kathryn, Ian, and Ali for their incredible love and support. Enjoy the show!

Kim Woodworth (Sandra) is a graduate of The University of Akron Theatre Arts program. She has worked with myriad theatre and film companies in Northeast Ohio. Some of her favorite performances include Hamlet: The Musical! (Queen Gertrude) with Ohio Shakespeare Festival, The Pillowman (Tupolski) and Corpus Christi (Judas) with Heads Up Productions and A Couple of Poor, Polish-Speaking Romanians (Woman) with New World Performance Lab. Kim served as the dialect coach in Cleveland Public Theatre’s Big Box series presentation of 1,000 Hills. She also was a traveling performer for First Night Akron and could be seen as a “scaroling” witch for Cleveland’s Boo at the Zoo. You can see her work as a doctor for Vierge-Makade’s medical promotional video on The Studio on Mars website and in Skip Thomas Productions' TV drama 3rd Floor West.

Monica Zach (Candy Starr) is excited to be making her Blank Canvas Theatre debut! She was last seen in Swimming in the Shallows (Donna) at convergence-continuum. Other credits include Tainted Justice (Pearl), Gypsy (Dainty June), Fiddler on the Roof (Grandma Tzeitel) and Cleveland Public Theatre's Springboard staged reading of Broken Wings (The Woman). You can also see Monica for a brief second in the movie Captain America: Winter Soldier. She participated in URTA auditions this past January and is planning to attend graduate school to continue her acting training. Monica would like to thank Patrick for this wonderful opportunity as well as her family and friends for their continued support.